A Good Egg Hunt
by agrant33074
Summary: A fluffy little tale about Josh and Donna with an Easter theme. Be warned, it gets really fluffy at the end. This is actually a companion to a story I wrote called Did the Angels Sing, but it is totally NOT NECESSARY to read that to understand this.
1. Chapter 1

This is a companion to "Did the Angels Sing," which is a post-ep to "Noel." I wrote this because LuvWestWing asked me to write more to that story a while ago and put it on alert, but I never wrote more for "Did the Angels Sing." I felt bad about that, so this is basically dedicated to that person.

Originally I planned to write a companion to it about New Year's Eve, but that never happened. So, instead, I chose Easter, because of the two Christian holidays.

This gets to be unbelievable Josh-Donna fluff at the very end, so sorry if it's too sappy. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Like all devout Christians, Josh Lyman was looking forward to Easter.

However, being Jewish and not planning on celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Josh had a different reason to look forward to the holiest of the holidays celebrated in Christianity.

What was it that he was looking forward to?

Well, Josh had a plan. A master plan. An exciting, secret plan that had involved using some of the best minds the White House had at its disposal – which meant that Sam, C.J., Toby, and even Charlie, Leo, and the President had gotten involved. Hell, even Margaret had gotten involved; nearly everyone had, which lead him to become rather worried when so many people knew, but it didn't really matter – _Donna _hadn'tfound out.

The whole reason for the scheming was that Josh was trying to be creative. Ever since he and Donna had finally gotten together on Christmas Eve, Josh had known that she was it. Okay, well, if he were honest with himself, he had known she was it for quite some time, but, after they had officially departed their simple boss-assistant relationship, Josh had been trying to figure out the right time to do it.

People had told him that he was doing it too soon; they hadn't even been together six months. But, as Josh told them, what the hell did he care? He was going to propose to Donna the soonest he had a bright idea and an occasion that was worthy.

He had decided upon Easter.

It made sense – they started dating on Jesus's birthday, so they may as well become engaged on his resurrection. But, then it was time to debate. How was he going to make it creative? That was when Sam had become employed. When Sam and Josh got no where, they asked C.J. And then, domino effect, everyone got involved. But, the long days that had lead up to Easter Sunday were filled with secretive planning.

It all started in March, when Josh saw a lot of his co-workers – including the President – walking around with ashes on their forehead. Ash Wednesday. Of course. Lent. The season of giving things up, and… the beginning of the Easter season. He had gotten the idea, and walked into the Roosevelt Room that morning to announce it to Sam, who had been in there for a meeting.

"What's up?" Sam asked, noting Josh had just barricaded the two of them inside the room, after walking in and closing the door.

"I've got an idea."

"Really, now? That only happens, what, like, three times a year with you?"

"Funny," Josh replied, his voice dripping in sarcasm, taking a seat across the table from Sam, who was shuffling papers around.

"Oh, before I forget," Sam interjected, "I'm going to need you to look over some of State's language changes for the President's speech in Dayton next week."

"Okay," absentmindedly responded Josh.

"They're freaking out over something in a ridiculous section on foreign policy. I tried explaining to the guys over there that we're talking about a speech in _Ohio_, for God's sake, not somewhere where the President's language will be under scrutiny, but they didn't listen. You know, I've had it about up to her—"

"Sam!" Josh exclaimed.

"Sorry. Right. You had an idea."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Josh looked at Sam and at point blank said, "I'm thinking of proposing to Donna on Easter."

"Hey! That's exciting!" Sam responded, then changing his tone to ask, "Are you going to have C.J. leak it to the press first?"

"No. Just announce the engagement."

"Okay. Well, that sounds good. Congratulations, man."

"Thanks."

Sam was puzzled. "Wait, am I missing something here? Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I need your help."

"Hey," Sam replied, putting his hands up to show a premature surrender, "I mean, I proposed to Lisa, but I don't think I'm going to be much help in this department."

"It's got to be creative."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you asking me?"

"I don't know. I just got the idea and you're the only one who's not in a meeting."

"So you had an epiphany and came here?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," said Sam, taking off the glasses that had previously resided on his face and folding them to set down on the table, "well, I think we ought to ask C.J."

"Yeah, I was thinking that," Josh said excitedly, leaning over the table more, "but then I was thinking she might spill it to Donna."

"No. C.J. wouldn't do that. If it's going to be something nice for Donna, C.J. won't want to spoil anything."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"I say we do a meeting after work tonight. A late night planning session. Tell Donna that she can go home and I'll organize a group."

"Really? You'll do all that?"

"Yeah. As long as I get to be best man in the wedding," Sam said with a smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

"Maybe you dress up as the Easter Bunny and hand Donna a basket with the ring box hidden in a lot of Easter grass," suggested C.J.

"Josh in a huge Easter bunny costume?" Toby replied.

"Yeah."

"No. Never. That's bizarre beyond words."

"Well, you have any better ideas?"

"I don't know, but I bet I can come up something better than a huge polyester suit and a wicker basket with shiny plastic grass exploding over the sides."

The two glared at each other until Sam came up with a suggestion of his own.

"What about you hide the ring in a hollow chocolate bunny?"

"A what?" Toby asked.

"You know, when they make the Easter bunny out of chocolate, only it's not solid it's—"

"Hollow?" Josh helped.

"Yeah, but how do you propose we get the ring inside the bunny?" questioned C.J.

"We… cut out the bottom, stick the ring in there, and then replace it?" Sam replied meekly.

The three brought in to brainstorm all leaned back in their chairs to think further, Toby taking a puff of his cigar, C.J. a drink of her beer, and Sam pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Do you really have to do Easter?" asked Toby.

"Yes," Josh responded with a plain tone.

"Why?"

"Toby, we've been over this," C.J. pleaded.

"I don't care. He can do any other day of the year, and yet he has to get us trapped in here trying to think of creative ways for a bunny to alert Donna she's being proposed to."

"Hey!" Josh interrupted. "I didn't ask you guys to help, Sam did!"

"But you came to _me _for help, and this is how I am helping!"

"Oh, for the love of God, let's just get an idea," Toby moaned, stopping Sam and Josh from their little argument.

"C.J., what's the theme of the Easter celebration this year?" asked Sam.

"I don't know. All I know is that the Egg Roll will include storytelling time with the attorney general, and popular children's books authors."

"Well, who would know?" Sam asked, right at the same time Leo walked past C.J.'s office where all four were holed up.

"What the hell are you all doing here?" he asked.

"Leo, do you know what the theme for this year's Easter Egg Roll is?" Sam interjected.

"The what?"

"The Easter Egg Roll. The White House Easter celebration."

"These things have themes?"

"Yes. Last year it was Spring Celebrations of Different Cultures which featured displays and demonstrations from different countries."

Leo looked at Sam blankly. "You really think I know what the White House is doing for Easter?"

"No, I just thought – you being the powerful – I thought maybe you'd know." Sam was crashing and burning, much to the amusement of the others in the room.

"No, Sam, I'd have to say I don't know what the theme for Easter this year will be. Is that why you all are here? Debating the theme of Easter?"

"We're trying to help Josh," said C.J.

"With what?"

"He's trying to find a clever way to prop—"

"Propose new phrasing for the State department for the President's section about foreign policy for that speech in Dayton," Josh interrupted C.J. "They're concerned."

"It's a speech in Dayton. No one will give a damn. Tell them that."

"I'll do that."

"Yeah. Well. Good."

There was a slight pause. "Have a good night," Josh said, hopefully ending the discussion.

Unfortunately Leo wasn't sold.

"The four of you are staying here after hours to help Josh phrase a section about which no one will give a damn?"

All eyes turned on Josh.

"You're better off just telling him now," C.J. murmured.

"Telling me what?"

Josh glared at C.J. "Fine," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Sam organized this meeting to help me find a creative way to – propose to Donna. On Easter."

Leo's face lit up. "Hey, congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"Easter, huh? Interesting choice."

"We started dating on Christmas Eve."

Leo remembered. "That's right, the night you met with Stanley. I forgot about that. I guess I'm sort of responsible for that, huh?"

"Yeah."

"And yet I've never gotten thanked for that—"

"Thank you," Josh said quickly. "Really, thank you. But, now, I'd like to get this – excruciating exercise over with." At the same time he said this, it was now Charlie's turn to appear in the doorway.

"Leo, the President wants to speak with you," Charlie said, approaching the doorway.

"Hey, Charlie," Sam said upon seeing him.

"Hey," he replied, then continued talking to Leo. "The President is actually heading down this way, so you can just wait here until for a minute."

"Okay," responded Leo.

The whole group of people sat in silence, until Charlie's curiosity got the best of him, and he asked, "What are you all doing down here?"

Josh leaned his head back. "Oh, holy mother of God," he whispered.

"Say, what's going on?"

The four who had been sitting immediately got to their feet and erupted in a chorus of "Good evening, Mr. President."

"Why are you all – here, congregating in C.J.'s office?"

No one answered.

"You should be asking Josh, sir," Leo helped.

"Really, now? Josh? Why is there a meeting of the minds occurring?"

If death had been an option, Josh would have gladly died. Or, if a trap door were available, Josh would have gone down it – right this instant.

"Well, sir, today I asked Sam for some advice because I was planning to do something, and instead he got a quorum together and now – now we've been alerting people of what I'm planning on doing and making it – extremely awkward for me."

"What is it you're planning on doing?"

Josh took a deep breath. He was certain everyone was having a great time watching him squirm. "I'm planning on – planning on proposing to Donna on Easter."

"And furthermore, Mr. President," Sam interjected, "would you happen to know the theme of this year's Easter Egg Roll?"

"Sadly we're just going with a traditional Egg Roll this year, with visits from the Easter Bunny, and my wife among others reading some Easter stories," the President responded, seemingly ignoring Josh's announcement – for a moment. "I've tried to make it more exciting, but we just couldn't get it done this year. As for you," he said, walking into the room and extending his hand towards Josh's, "congratulations. It's about time you and Donna did what we've all been waiting for the two of you to do since we saw the sparks fly."

To say Josh was dumbfounded would have been a tragic understatement. "Uh, thank you, sir," he managed to mumble.

"Ah, Easter. A wonderful holiday. But, actually, are you aware that the Easter Egg Roll does not occur on Easter Sunday?"

"It doesn't?" responded Sam.

"Three years into the administration, and he doesn't know when the Egg Roll is. No, Sam, it occurs the day after Easter, on Monday."

"Really."

"Yes, it does. The history of the Egg Roll is actually quite a fascinating one—"

"Oh, God," Toby mumbled in the shadows.

"What was that, Toby?" Bartlet said.

"Nothing, sir, it's just that I have a feeling you're about to lead us down a very, uh, enlightening path."

"Well, Mr. Ziegler, since you and Mr. Seaborn seem to both be oblivious to the simple date on which the Egg Roll occurs, I feel the need to teach you all."

"I knew the date," pleaded C.J.

"Well, then this will further add to your knowledge of the event, Claudia Jean. So sit, all of you."

They all sighed and took a seat, with Leo and Charlie staying standing in the doorway.

"The Egg Roll was started by – anyone know the answer?" the President began, with no one raising a hand. "A-ha, stumped again. It was begun by President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife Lucy in 1878. You see, on Easter, children would take their decorated hard boiled eggs and roll their eggs – and themselves – down the hill at the Capitol building. Now, the landscaping budget for that government facility wasn't very large, and, so, with the rolling occurring on Easter, the grounds were taking a beating.

"In 1876, children were forbidden from doing their annual roll. The next year, Rutherford and Lucy decided to have a celebration on the South Lawn and the Ellipse. Sadly, it was rained out the first year they planned it, but it started the following year and, since then, has happened every year after that, excluding years with inclement weather."

"That was very informative, sir," Toby quipped.

"Thank you, Toby. Now, Josh, you're looking for advice for how to propose to Donna on Easter."

"Yes, sir."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"We're looking for creative suggestions," C.J. explained.

"Creative, huh? Well, Josh, I may just have an idea."

And, so, the planning began.


	3. Chapter 3

"You know, most bosses wouldn't drag his assistant into work on a holiday. Even more so if he were dating his assistant."

Josh walked nervously in front of Donna, who had been complaining for quite some time.

"It's not that I don't like working with you," she continued, "in fact I love spending time with you, I was just looking forward to a more fun Easter than just going into the office and, I don't know, organizing paperwork or whatever the hell it is you have planned today."

He took a deep breath, turned around, and smiled. He had to play it cool. She couldn't know something was up. "We're going to have fun today, Donna. You're being tested."

"I'm being tested?"

"You're becoming our guinea pig for the day."

Donna rolled her eyes, grabbing the door into the building from Josh who had been holding it open for her, walking in, and then stopping while Josh continued on to check into the building. "I'm a guinea pig?"

"For today," he responded, turning around and looking at her.

"Whose?"

"What?"

"Whose guinea pig am I?"

By this time Josh had begun to walk into the bullpen, and Donna had to continue her argument on foot.

"You're – the whole White House's guinea pig."

"Seriously?"

"Yes." He turned around to see her stopped again, giving him a look filled with doubt.

"The whole White House."

"Yes."

She started walking again. "What are you making me do?"

"It has to do with the Egg Roll tomorrow."

"The Easter celebration?"

"Yes. Obviously."

By this time the two were at Donna's desk. She took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack, grabbing something off her desk and walking into Josh's office.

"What are you going to make me do?"

"We're doing a trial run of something the President wants to include in the celebration."

"Oh, my God."

"What?" Josh looked up from the message he had been reading on his desk to see Donna glaring at him.

"Are you going to make me be Woodrow?"

"What?"

"Woodrow the White House Mouse."

"Who?"

Donna walked to the other side of Josh's office and than began to cross back over to the door, pacing. "Woodrow the White House Mouse. He's a character who appears at the Egg Roll."

"Seriously?"

"Yes! Last year Mike from C.J.'s office had to dress up in the costume, but this year he's in Bermuda with his family – you're not going to make me be Woodrow are you?"

Josh looked at Donna blankly. Laughing, he tried to reason with her. "Donna—"

"I swear to God, Josh, I'm not good at wearing costumes. You can't see things, and then I'd have to pose with kids in the pictures – and I couldn't handle it. I think I'm worth more to this administration than just the poor insignificant staffer to wear the Woodrow the White House Mouse costume!"

Josh just laughed.

"Josh!"

"Donna, I swear, no one's making you dress up like the mouse."

"Not the bunny, either?"

"No, not the bunny."

"Okay. Fine," she resolved, beginning to relax. "Sorry. I just don't feel like having to play Mickey Mouse to this Disneyworld."

"Yeah," replied Josh, eyebrows raised.

"So, what is it I'm doing?" she asked, sitting down and forcibly trying to be more calm.

"You are, uh, running a prototype for the President with what he wants to do next year for the Egg Roll."

"What is it?"

"An Easter Egg Hunt in which the children have to find one of every color egg, and inside the eggs will be little items relating to America and to Jesus's resurrection."

"So, little American flags and – God trinkets?"

"Jesus knickknacks."

"A-ha. And you want me to do it, why?"

"Because we feel – the President, Leo, I, and well, everyone – that you will have a good reaction on which to base the reaction of that with the under-six crowd which participates in the Egg Roll."

"I see."

"No," Josh said, stopping the sarcastic remarks. "Seriously, we just want someone to do it and, I well, offered you up," he smiled.

"How kind."

"I try my best."

"So, I'm going out onto the South Lawn and am searching for eggs?"

"Yes."

"And then what?"

"We want you to sit in a closed room and dictate to us, which will be taped and recorded, your reaction to the items which you find."

"Okay. Why am I searching for them, then?"

"To make it more fun."

"Boy, Josh, you sure know what makes me get all happy."

"Just my Easter spirit coming through."

"And from a person of the Jewish faith, that means quite a lot."

"Yep," Josh replied, picking a paper up off his desk and handing it to Donna. "Here's the list of the eggs which you will need. Remember, take only one of each color."

"There's more than one?"

"I think they might have left some of them outside for the President's grandkids once they get back from church."

"They're visiting?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Uh-huh."

"And I'm sure they'll be thrilled that they get to go on an Easter egg hunt for – what was it you named them – Jesus knickknacks?"

"You called them God trinkets, and don't forget there is also American memorabilia."

"Ah, yes. How silly of me," Donna replied, looking over the list and standing up to go get her coat.

"I think there also might be some candy in some of the eggs, so I'm sure they'll end up being okay."

"Well, good." She started to walk out of Josh's office and then turned around to explain what she was going to go and get some clarification. "So, I'm going to go get the eggs, and then I'll come inside and you'll tell me where to go to do the item evaluation?"

"Yeah," Josh replied, then running over towards the door and picking up a basket next to it. Handing it to her, he said, "But you'll need this." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered "Good luck," in her ear, and off she went. Josh waited until the coast was clear, and then ran over to C.J.'s office. A whole group of them was there, including one of the White House's guards. They needed his help to get the security camera image of Donna on the South Lawn to watch as she slowly came upon her prize.


	4. Chapter 4

Whoever had hidden the eggs was going to need some more practice, Donna thought to herself as she walked back into the White House after the preposterous Easter exercise she had just done. It had taken her only ten minutes to make sure she had one of every color of egg. She walked back to Josh's office, finding him sitting there, legs up on the desk, his face buried in some briefing memo.

"Well," she announced, "I've got all fifteen different colored eggs, and I made sure to only take _one _of each color. I know it's not nice to take from the other children. My parents have just recently instilled the values of sharing in me and I've done them proud today."

"Funny," he replied, standing up and walking over to her. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he began to walk her over to her egg explanation station, which, he explained, would be Toby's office.

"He's okay with my being in here?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's fine. So, let me just turn on the camera, and then you can go to work."

"Okay," she replied, giving him a funny look.

"Just come out and get me when you're done."

"Thanks," Donna said, beginning to remove her jacket and putting it on the back of Toby's chair. She sat down, pulled the basket of eggs closer to her on the desk, and adjusted her hair before beginning her video taped egg discussion.

"Hi," she started, "this is Donna, and I'm doing the test run of the new Easter Egg hunt the President wants to do for next year's Egg Roll. So, I have the checklist here, and I'm going to go through each of the items and explain to you what I think it is and from which color egg the item came."

Outside of the door, Josh held his breath and looked over his shoulder to see C.J., Sam, Margaret, Bonnie, Ginger, and even Toby waiting around the corner. It might have been pathetic, but they had all managed to pencil this in before they went off to their respective Easter celebrations in the afternoon.

"I am now opening the lime green egg," explained Donna. "And inside of it, I find… a small rock." She held up the rock towards the camera, which really wasn't filming anything. "This, I am assuming, if my years of Catholic schooling aren't failing me, is the rock which was rolled away to let Jesus – out, or whatever. So, we can certainly call this item inside the green egg a God trinket, or a Jesus knickknack."

Josh laughed over her explanation of the item and held his breath to find which egg she would pick up next.

"Now, we have the pink egg. It's a rather fluorescent pink, which, may I add, was very easy to find on the lawn. Inside we have… a small eraser in the shape of a bell. Ah, and upon observing more, I've found that the eraser has a small crack on it. My guess is that this eraser is to represent the famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is an item to celebrate our American heritage. So, one in each column.

"Next, I have the – I would have to call this color gold – egg."

Josh swallowed hard. This was it.

"And, upon opening the egg, I find—" A small silver band with a rather large diamond fell out on top of Toby's desk calendar. Donna said nothing, and moved nothing. She felt her chest rise and fall faster, her heart beat rapidly increasing. She slowly moved her right hand over to the ring and picked it up, examining it. She felt her eyes tearing up. Dammit, Josh. Why did he – why does he always have to do things like this? "Josh," she said breathlessly, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

By this time Josh couldn't take it any longer. He opened the door, and began to talk, saying,

"Yeah, see, the thing is, the kids, next year, they won't have a golden egg to search for. That one was just for you."

"Josh—"

He continued into the room, slowly walking towards the desk. "So the test run we had you do today is really quite flawed," he went on, "and not completely representative of the hunt the President wants to have next year."

"Josh—" she sobbed again, becoming completely in articulate as she continued to grip the ring with her right hand.

"But, I figured it was a good idea to have you do this anyway." He finally made it towards Toby's desk, and, taking a deep breath, got down on one knee next to where Donna was sitting, turned the swivel chair and Donna to face him, and took her left hand in his. "Donna, I love you more than you'll probably ever know," he said looking straight into her eyes. He then shifted his glance down to his leg. "This – being married to you – it will – it could – it would, be the best thing I've ever done. Undoubtedly, the best thing. Indeterminably better than getting the President elected. I love you, so much, and I just want to declare it." He made certain that he had her eyes locked in with his when he said the next part. "Donna, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Donna shook from the crying and closed her eyes for a minute. It seemed as if it were surreal, until she looked and saw Josh's eyes. This man, who had been through so much – his eyes – he just looked so vulnerable. It's not as if she even needed to be taking all this time to get the answer out. It wasn't even a question. "Yes," she choked out. "I love you, Josh. Yes," she laughed and smiled. "Of course."

Josh got up on both knees and pulled Donna's face towards his and kissed her, an airy kiss which barely brushed her lips. He took the ring from her right hand and placed it on her left hand, kissing it after the ring was in it, then standing up and bringing her up with him to embrace her tightly, stroking her hair as she cried into his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered into her ear again, and brought his lips to hers again.

Slowly, C.J. peeked out from around the corner. "Is it done?" she asked, reservations apparent in her tone.

Donna and Josh looked up at her, Donna laughing. "You knew about this, C.J.?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? Josh couldn't have done this without our help!" Sam shouted, walking out next to C.J.

Donna just smiled and laughed, then, turning her face to Josh's, she whispered, "You're helpless."

"Only without you," he responded, moving one hand to the small of her back and the other to her face, bringing his lips to hers again, something he would do again, again, and again for the rest of their lives.


End file.
